The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-08-25
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
A Very Pleasant and Profitable
Meeting at Lcesburg. u

Yes, we all agree that the Leesbur
Institute was one of the most pleasan
and profitable sessions ever held in tn
county. The weather 30 favorable, tn
hall 80 much better than the usual plac
OF meeting, the teachers in such goo,
cheer, the people of Leesburg 90 hospit
able; in short every thing seemed I,
work together for the real enjoymen
and success Of all.
Much speculation has been indulxet
relative to the feasibility Of locatin,
the Institute at Leesburs, but with due
respect to the citizens Of Hillsboro |,
must be said that in point OF hospitality
as well a. In that of suitable place fol
daily meetings, Leesburg is far in the
advance. No mooth.haired, innocent.
minded, pale.faced clerk stood out in
Leesburg and said, "Ah there, some
more country school teachers. They
look like they ought to a went to school
some moie before they come up here. "
Such charges as the above have been re.
peatedly urged against Hillsboro as a
place of meeting. While Hillsboro can
accommodate more teachers on account
OF her central location. Leesburg has
gained a place nearer the hearts of the
teachers because of her good will to-.
ward them. Where the committee will
locate the next annual meeting is not
known, but they are sound, practical
young men, and we rest assured that
they will spare no pains to make the
next meeting in every way as successful
as the one Just closed. One thing is
certain, Leesburg will take them and she
knows how to entertain.
The corps of instructors were His.
tory and Pedagogy, Prof. w. H. vena.
BILE, OF Cincinnati; Geography and Read.
ing, Prof. A. B. johnson, of Avondale
Arithmetic. Prof. Ferguson; Grammar,
Prof. Gall the latter two OF this county.
Promptly at 8 o'clock Monday morning,
August 10Th, the meeting was called to
order, President Barrett in the chair and
Miss Haidee VanWinkle, Secretary.
After opening by appropriate exercises
Prof. Ferguson made very plain the sub
ject OF Partnership in arithmetic. He
handled the subject in very scientific
manner and stuck we'll to the text of
Arithmetical Partnerships only. Part
nership was followed by Prof. Gall, with
an excellent paper on Philology. He
gave us great many interesting facts
in regard to the derivation and origin
OF language. He also told us some an.
ecdotes in regard to the origin of proper
names. The one of the Strange Smith
who lived in Garrett in Ancient Gall
will not soon be forgotten by the teach.
ers who have studied Casar's Gallo
War. With the conclusion on proper
names, the Institute adjourned to meet
Professors johnson and Venable at the
train, and also for dinner. After dinner
we will follow each teacher through his
own particular work, instead of follow.
ing out the daily programme.
After dinner Prof. johnson took nm
the subject of Reading as Now Taught"
He spoke well and to the point in regard
to the many failures in reading both in
pupils and teacher. He struck directly
at the root of bad reading, and appealed
to the teacher to improve in this the
most delightful of all arts. We spend
much more time in the intricacies and
of mathematics than in
the careless reading of our lessons, and
when we appear on the stage of active
life we have seldom any use for geomet.
rical propositions and algebraic theo-
rems, while every day our reading ability
Is brought into use. In his second les.
son Prof. johnson spoke at length on
expression and choice of reading mat.
ter. Nothing but first-class literature
should be permitted to enter the class
room. .n,
Next he took the class through a
course OF vocal sounds for the purpose
'f making more smooth and pleasant
The voice. Teachers should always be-
gin the reading exercise with breathing
and voice drills. Very much better re.
'ults in reading would follow and quite
'ften precipitation to lung trouble
would be overcome. In the remaining
exercises Prof. johnson spoke of clear.
ness OF thought.reading, and again of
he manifold importance of the teachers
preparation. He also gave the teachers
lrills on voice culture and in the variety
If styles of expression. If we follow out
Prof. Johnson's directions in reading we
will not be improved ourselves only, but
'ur efforts will speak forth in the read.
ng OF those under our charge.
Tuesday Prof. johnson taught his first
esson in geography; subject, "Form Of
he Earth" He would have us employ
o quite an extent the object method in
using such apparatus as is
within easy reach and which, by the aid
II little ingenuity, can be made to H.
ustrate quite number of phenomena
n geography. He would have ~ help
he pupil in these investigations rather
han shosc him.
In his next lessons he taught latitude